Staff Sergeant Patrick D. Hamburger, 30, gave his life with 37 others in the service of his country on August 6, 2011, when their CH-47 Chinook helicopter was shot down in Wardak Province, Afghanistan. Pat lived in Grand Island, Nebraska with Candie Reagan, his future wife, and their daughters Veronica Reagan and Payton Hamburger. He was born in Sioux City, Iowa on Memorial Day, May 25, 1981, and moved to Lincoln, Nebraska in 1985 with his parents, Douglas Hamburger and Joyce Peck, and his brothers Michael Hamburger and Christopher Hamburger. He graduated from Lincoln Southeast High School in 1999.
Pat enlisted in the Army National Guard in 1998, when he was a junior in high school. He was employed as a plumber until 2008 when he became a full-time helicopter flight engineer with the National Guard in Grand Island. Pat met Candie in 2005, moved to Grand Island with her and Veronica in 2008, and welcomed Payton into the world on January 2009. He loved spending time with his family and friends. Pat was a mechanical genius who loved his country intensely. Ensuring the readiness of Chinooks and flying were passions.
Pat is survived by his girls, Candie Reagan, Veronica Reagan and Payton Hamburger, of Grand Island, Nebraska, mother and step-father, Joyce and DeLayne Peck of Lincoln, Nebraska, father and step-mother Douglas and Shaune Hamburger of Knoxville, Tennessee, brothers, Michael Hamburger of New York, New York and Christopher Hamburger of Saint Louis, Missouri, grandparents, Willard and Jacque Hamburger, of Omaha, Nebraska, step-siblings, Jessica Francis, Jeremy Francis and Joshua Francis, of Knoxville, Tennessee, and countless aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, and brothers in arms. He was preceded in death by his maternal Grandparents, Edmond and Ruth George of Hampton, Nebraska.
Visitation for Pat will be held on Friday, August 19, 2011 between 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. at Wyuka Cemetery, 3600 O Street, Lincoln, Nebraska. Funeral services will begin at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 20, 2011 at Christ’s Place Church, 1111 Old Cheney Road, Lincoln, Nebraska. He will then be laid to rest at Wyuka Cemetery, with a reception to follow at Christ’s Place Church.
Memorials are requested in lieu of flowers. The Patrick Hamburger Memorial Fund has been established at U.S. Bank. The fund is dedicated to the care and education of the most important people in his life, Candie, 30, Veronica, 13, and Payton, 2.
Pat would want to thank the friends and family that were with him along the way. He also would want us to pray for the safe return of his fellow Muleskinners, the men of the 2-135th General Support Aviation Battalion.
We love you so much, Pat, and are eternally grateful for the time that we had together. We will miss you and keep you forever in our hearts. We know your wonderful smile and generous heart will always fly high and brighten heaven’s skies forever.
I am sorry for your loss and join you in honoring a dedicated soldier.
God bless you for your service to our country. You paid the ulitmate price doing your duty, may you rest in peace now.
To Patrick’s family…..may the love of friends and family bring you comfort…and may the love of God give you peace of mind.
Shirley Bauer
What a lovely young man, you should be proud of him.
Hi, I am so sorry for your loss. I remember Pat and “the boys” during their high school years on my driveway looking at everyone’s engines and revving them up. They were a great bunch of boy’s, were such good friends, and it was fun to watch them grow up. I am so proud to have known Pat and proud that he served our country so well. Caleb Twiss’s Mom – Julie Twiss.
“The boys” were still doing this the last time Pat was here.
Dear Family of Staff Sgt. Pat Hamburger,
I want to tell you how touched our family has been over the loss of your husband/son/brother/and friend. I come from a very military family and recently my son-in-law spent a tour in Iraq. He made it home to my daughter and 3 sons but he was not the same
man. He wouldn’t go for treatment or help and is currently in places unknown on a nationwide warrant for his arrest in NE. and 2 other states.
We are so sorry for your loss of Pat but know
he loved all of you and he will forever be a HERO to our country and we honor him. I wish we hadn’t lost our Chris the way we did.
We will be praying for your family,
Donna Merklin
Our love and prayers are with you all. God bless you and God bless America. Mary and Gary Dodd
My deepest sympathy to Pat’s family, I was his junior high school art teacher at Pound and remember him very fondly, he was a cute, nice, goofy, shy, eager kid that will always be remembered for who he was and what he did for our country. I’m really proud to say I knew him and I’m sure he enjoyed his time on Earth and lived life to the fullest!
Douglas and Shaune,
Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
Jack & Sara Lutzi
Doug,
I am so very sorry for your loss. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
thanks to patrick for his service to our USA–my prayers are for his family, friends and military buddies. God Bless You all I have 2 military sons who have served in both Iraq and Afghanistan so my heart is even heavier–we as military families know most the sacrifice of our loved ones Let you feel comfort even when feeling patriotic pride in our sons, daughters, husbands, wives and siblings. Patrick’s sacrifice is known and I honor his memory
I send my condolences to the families who have suffered such sadness for the loss of a loved one. Although we’ve never met, I feel that Sgt. Hamburger, a fellow Nebraskan who loved this land, had a warrior spirit with a gentle heart. With warmest regards, Diane Mullins, Lincoln, NE.
Words cannot express our gratitude for the sacrifice made not only by Patrick, but by his family as well! May God hold you in his arms and give you comfort!
So very sorry for your loss. Rest in peace Pat, you will be dearly missed and always loved! Our prayers Always,xoxoxo Jenna Miller and Nick Hall
Joyce and DeLayne,
My heart is aching for you and your family. I can’t imagine the pain you are going through.
Gail
Our deepest sympathy. We were so sorry to read about this devastating news.
Thank you Jerry and Cathie.
I have never met this fine young man, but my heart goes out to his friends and family. We as Ameicans go about our daily lives out of harms way while our young men and women of the United States Armed forces keep us safe from those that would try to destroy our beloved freedoms. God bless you Patrick Hamburger and may he watch over your family
We were saddened to hear of Patrick’s tragic death while serving our country in Afganistan. We will keep your family in our prayers. With our deepest sympathy, Bob and Marilyn Bewley
How kind of you to remember Pat.
Dear Joyce and family, I am so sorry to hear of the loss of your son. Giving his life in service to our country is the ultimate sacrifice. I know how hard it is to have your family in the military after being a Navy wife for over 25 years, but to have your loved ones in harms way and then to have your son loose his life is just so hard to understand. Please know that you have been in my thoughts and prayers.
Opal,
I know I thought about you when Pat got his orders. Thank you so much for remembering him.
Love,
Joyce
I never knew Pat but just looking at a picture of him,,,I know that he would have made a wonderful friend. I am a veteran USAF from the Korean war. Am 82 years old and proud to have served my country….Been a ham operator since
1950 and in recent years have phone patched many people in the service to their loved ones
back in the states. W5VPF and WØAPQ are my two call letters… I am very sorry for your
loss of Pat, and will say prayers for you..
Sincerely
Dean (Dino) Parpart
dino46@suddenlink.net
Pat was a former student of mine at Pound Middle School. I remember his love for cars and wanting to help whenever possible. Later, I taught his twin brothers Chris & Mike at Scott Middle School. What a great group of guys. I will miss Pat’s smile and heart felt jokes! My God comfort Pat’s family. Ms. Satree
Ms. Satree,
The boys have mentioned you so often though the years. You are one of their favorite teachers.
Thank you for your sympathies.
Dear Doug, Shaune and Hamburger family: We are deeply saddened by the loss of your son and brother Patrick. Your family has and will continue to be in our thoughts and prayers.
Sincerely,
Anthony and Tammy
I am so sorry for your loss. I haven’t seen Pat for many years, but I can still picture him in the halls of LSE and Pound, and watching my brother (Tyler) play soccer together with Chris and Mike in elementary school. May Pat rest in peace, he will forever be remembered as a hero. God bless your family and you will be in our thoughts and prayers.
Dear Joyce and family: Sean, Dave and I are saddened to hear of Patrick’s death. We so fondly remember our days together on 65th St. Please know that you are in our thoughts and prayers at this difficult time.
The boys often talked of the “good old days” with your boys. They had a lot of fun together, and I’m glad they did. Thanks Judy.
When I think of Pat, I think of a man who loved his family and freinds. I know Pat is looking down on his favorite girls Candy, Joyce, Veronica and Payton. I know he will watch over all of you. He loved you all so much. Pat’s also watching over his little baby brothers, Mike and Chris. He was so proud of you both. Thank you Pat for protecting my country and for being a freind. Love always the Kostners